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I’ve always loved Imagination Coins by Garrett Thomas (except for that transposition phase, what the hell even was that?) but there was always that one thing that irked me. The same issue is in other magic classics. Invisible palm routines, sheep and thieves and the like.

The effect is essentially one coin vanishing from a group of 4, appearing in your palm. It vanishes again, and reappears in their coin stack that they were holding. It’s basically one coin vanishing and appearing, so what’s with the other three coins? Truth is, we all know the extra coins are only there to facilitate the method.

Rather than getting yourself bent out of shape changing or struggling with the methods available, rework your presentations to solve the issue at hand. Here is an example of that, a presentation I came up with that makes having multiple coins a part of the story, and even highlights it. I’ll go over my handling without revealing the method as much as possible.

You explain that long ago, there was a pickpocketing problem within various parts of Italy. “No matter where people placed their coins, cash or valuables, they would find it gone by the time they got back home,” you say. You claim the techniques used by these thieves ended up in magic books hundreds of years later and you’ve been practicing one.

You ask them to imagine that all the cash they have in the world is just 4 coins, and you bring out your 4 coins and shell. “These 4 pieces of metal are the only thing you own, and the one thing that’s standing between you having a roof over your head or not.”

“If you think about it, our hand is probably the most secure wallet in the world. You’re always aware of what’s inside of it, and you’re bound to feel it when someone touches it. Rather than the coins being in your pocket, where maybe I could slip my hand in without you detecting any sensations.”

Then you do the first phase of Imagination Coins.

“You see, if I took everything out of your hand you would feel a difference in your fist and catch on to me. A good thief only cuts himself a small piece of the riches. This technique was what made the thieves almost uncatchable. I’ve already stolen a coin.” You lower your palm slightly, revealing a coin is suddenly there.

They open their hand to find 3 coins.

Proceed as per the original routine. I obviously take out that transposition phase as it makes no sense.

“Normally that one coin would be enough to feed me for a while. Sometimes though, they still would find out and the thieves had to destroy the evidence. Hold still, I’m still practicing this… …There. You shouldn’t have felt anything but maybe you heard a little clink. Hopefully I managed to put it back without you realizing.”

Now you do the last phase, where you vanish the she— I mean coin and they open their hand to find 4 again.

So there’s my pseudo-pickpocket routine using Imagination Coins, justifying the use of multiple coins through telling a story. Hope you enjoyed it.